- Alabama immigration backlogs have reached a decade high as national USCIS pending cases hit eleven point six million.
- The new Atlanta Asylum Office launched interview services at the Montgomery Field Office starting July eighth, twenty twenty-six.
- National court backlogs reached three point twenty-four million cases, with average wait times extending to eight hundred eighty-two days.
Alabama’s immigration backlog has reached a decade high as the national USCIS backlog has tripled over the last decade, leaving families waiting across asylum, work authorization and family-based cases.
USCIS carried 11.6 million pending cases by mid-2026, up from 3.5 million in 2016. The total includes green cards through Form I-485, naturalization applications through Form N-400 and family petitions through Form I-130.
The delays affect people trying to work, reunite with relatives and complete immigration applications. Thousands of Alabama families remain caught in those queues.
Free toolUSCIS Receipt Number DecoderUSCIS opened the Atlanta Asylum Office on July 8, 2026, to handle the increase in affirmative asylum applications across Georgia and Alabama. The office will conduct interviews at three locations, including the USCIS Montgomery Field Office.
USCIS announced the arrangement July 1, 2026. The agency said the expansion would add capacity in a region where backlogs have historically “stretched for years.”
“Beginning July 8, 2026, the Atlanta Asylum Office will conduct interviews for affirmative asylum applicants at three locations. [including] the USCIS Montgomery Field Office in Alabama.”
A separate court development could restart some stalled matters. On June 12, USCIS confirmed it would follow a June 5 order from the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island that vacated several “hold policies.” Thousands of cases that had been paused may move forward.
The backlog spans agency files, court cases and enforcement pressure
The national queues have grown across different parts of the immigration system. Naturalization applicants waited an average of 9.5 months in April 2026, compared with 6.4 months one year earlier.
The immigration courts faced 3.24 million active cases on May 31, 2026. Each case carried an average wait of 882 days.
| Measure | Figure | Date or comparison |
|---|---|---|
| USCIS pending cases | 11.6 million | Mid-2026, compared with 3.5 million in 2016 |
Average Form N-400 processing time | 9.5 months | April 2026, compared with 6.4 months one year earlier |
| Immigration court cases | 3.24 million active cases | May 31, 2026 |
| Average immigration court wait | 882 days | May 31, 2026 |
| Immigration-related arrests in Alabama | 1,795 | Through March 10, 2026 |
| Alabama arrests in 2025 | Nearly 6,000 | Full year |
| Available immigration judges | 557 | By late 2025, down from 735 in 2024 |
Enforcement has increased while applications remain pending. Federal agents arrested 1,795 immigrants in Alabama through March 10, 2026, after nearly 6,000 arrests across the state in 2025, according to local reports.
Alabama House Bill 13, called the Laken Riley Act, passed in early 2026. The law allows local police to enter agreements with the Department of Homeland Security to enforce federal immigration laws, and it has contributed to more “collateral arrests” during routine traffic stops.
Work authorization and receipt notices remain separate problems
Delays involving Form I-765, the work authorization application, have left thousands of Alabama families unable to work legally while their cases remain pending.
Another queue begins before formal processing. Nearly 250,000 applications have been received but not yet entered into the system, creating a growing “frontlog.” Many applicants in that position lack a receipt notice and therefore may not have proof of lawful presence during local enforcement encounters.
Family petitions create a different kind of wait. Delays in Form I-130 cases have kept thousands of Alabama families separated from relatives abroad for years.
The new asylum interview locations address only one part of the system. Asylum interviews, employment authorization, naturalization and family petitions move through separate processes.
Policy and staffing changes are adding pressure
Agency insiders have cited the Trump administration’s 2026 policy of “thorough vetting for every application” as a primary cause of the “bureaucratic slowdown” in legal immigration processing.
The immigration court system also has fewer available judges than it did previously. The number fell from 735 in 2024 to 557 by late 2025.
The court order and the new interview site arrive as pending matters continue to accumulate. USCIS began using the Montgomery location on July 8, 2026, as part of the three-location arrangement for affirmative asylum interviews.
USCIS publishes agency announcements through its newsroom and maintains immigration and citizenship data. The Department of Homeland Security publishes updates through its newsroom.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.
